Improvement in skirt-protectors



M. H. CHSE.

Skirt-Protectors.

No.153,314. Patentedluiy 21,1874..

THE GRAPHIO C0 IPNOTWLITBSL IHPARK PLAGErN-Y' UNITED STATES M. HERBERT oHAsE,

PATENT OFFICE.

oE NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN SKIRT-PROTECTORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,3 i4, dated July 2l, 1874 application tiled July 14, 1874.

To all whom Iif may concern.:

Beit known that I, M. HERBERT CHASE, of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Skirt-Protectors, of which the following is a specifica-tion My invention relates to a new and im proved protector, to be applied to the bottom of a ladys dress-skirt to insure the fabric against wear, and prevent it from becoming soiled; and its object is to provide a more durable and perfect protector for this purpose than has hitherto been made.

It has been customary to affix protectors of various styles to the facing at the lower edges of dress-skirts, which have usually consisted merely of a strip of plaited or folded wiggan, oiled silk, or other equivalent material, stitched along the upper edge of the facing, and extending to the lower edge of the saine. Protectors, as thus constructed, have been found objectionable, owing to the rapidity with which they wear out; but the principal objection has been that the stitches by which such protectors have been attached to the fabric soon become worn, allowing the protector to become detached, which gives the dress an unsightly appearance and necessitates constant attention and renewal. Attempts have been iliade to render the protector more durable by providing one of the surfaces of the protector with protruding guards of leather or other material, which will drag upon the ground or sidewalk, and save the body of the material from wear; but these have not been found to answer the purpose, for the reason that the stitches by which they are attached are still liable to wear and allow the protector to separate or drop olf of the dressskirt, as above stated. It mightbe possible to construct the protector of such width that the edge at which it is stitched to the dress would never come in contact with the ground, and the stitches thus be saved from abrasion or wear; but this would necessitate for use such an amount or width of stiff, unyielding material as to interfere with the set of the dress, and render it awkward and ungainly in appearance.

My invention is designed particularly to overcome these defects 5 and it consists in an auxiliary strip of protecting material secured above a plain, plaited, or guarded strip, as before described, in such amauner that its lower edge will fall over and protect the threads or stitches by which 'such plaited, plain, or guarded strip is attached to the dressskirt, whether it be short or long, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawing, Figure l represents a view of my skirt-protector as applied to a dress. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the saine.

A C represent a strip of wiggan, rubber, leather, hair-cloth, or other suitable material, which may be plaited or plain, attached to the lower edge of the skirt, or to the facing of the same, in the usual manner, so as to project slightly below the edge of the skirt. B represents the auxiliary strip, or strip for protecting the seam or stitches by which the lower piece is attached to the skirt, or to the part A. Said strip may be made of rubber, wiggan, hair-cloth, linen, or other suitable material; but I prefer a water-proof material. Said strip is made about the saine width as, or slightly wider than, the lower strip, and is stitched to the skirt in such a position that its lower edge will fall over the upper edge of the lowest strip, and cover and protect the seam by which the same is attached to the skirt, or the part A. The upper edge of the auxiliary strip, at which point it is attached to the dress, will not, under any ordinary circumstances, reach the ground, and the seam or stitches by which it is attached will be sub- ]'ected to little or no wear. The lower edge of the same,falling over the upper edge of the lower folded strip, will protect the stitches of the same, and render the protector much more durable than any heretofore constructed.

It is evident that my protector will in no way interfere with the set of the dress, as itis made in two or more flounces or parts, the lower edge of the upper part of either part or iiounce will in no way interfere with the Ilexibility of the lower part of the skirt.

The auxiliary strip may be made of rubber, hair-cloth, or other suitable material, and may be folded, if desired, in the same manner as the lower strip, although I prefer to make it of a plain strip or band.

I intend to manufacture the protector in continuous strips or bands, so that the saine may be made and sold by the yard, as an article of manufacture.

1. An auxiliary strip, B, applied as described, for protecting` the seam and edges of the upper and lower strips A C of a dressproteetor, substantially as herein specified.

2. The combination of the strips A, B, and G in a skirt-protector, arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and described.

3. A skirt-protector eonsistin g of a strip, A C,

and an auxiliary strip, B, of water-proof or other suitable material, said auxiliary strip being secured at its upper edge to the skirt, and free at its lower edge, said lower edge covering and protecting; the seam by which the lower or plaited strip is attached to the skirt, substantially as described, and for the purpose speciied.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

M. HERBERT CHASE. I/Vitnesses ALBERT H. Nonnrs, JAMES L. Nonnrs. 

